CHAPTER XI
A CRISIS
Abner Holden's disappointment was excessive at the sudden fallingthrough of his horse trade, and his feeling of anger against Herbert forhis agency in the matter was in proportion to his disappointment. Hischief thought, as he hurried home from the tavern, was that he wouldmake the boy smart for his interference.
"I'll give him a good flogging," muttered Abner to himself, and he feltthat this would be some slight compensation for the injury and slightloss which Herbert had caused him to sustain.
"I'll teach him to spoil my bargains," he said, while his face wore anexpression decidedly ugly. "I reckon he won't do it a second time."
It was in this frame of mind that he reached home.
Herbert had just entered the kitchen with an armful of wood for thehousekeeper, and having thrown down his burden, was about to go back,when, on turning, he confronted the stormy and wrathful face of hisemployer.
"He's found out," Herbert concluded at once, and he braced his nervesfor the storm which he knew must come.
"Well, young man, I've an account to settle with you," said Abner,abruptly.
Herbert did not reply, but waited for Mr. Holden to state the matter.But in Abner's present angry condition, he chose to construe his silenceinto cause of offense.
"Why don't you speak?" he said. "What do you mean by looking meimpudently in the face?"
"I have no intention of being impudent," said Herbert. "I think you aremistaken, Mr. Holden."
"Do you dare to tell me I am mistaken?" roared Holden, lashing himselfinto a rage.
"I don't mean to do or say anything that is not perfectly respectful,"said Herbert, manfully, looking steadily in his employer's face.
"Why did you tell a pack of lies about my horse this morning, and somake me lose my trade?"
"I didn't tell a pack of lies," said Herbert.
"Didn't you tell the man who came here that he was an ill-temperedbrute, and blind of one eye?"
Abner Holden glared upon the boy as if he wanted to spring upon him, andgive him a thrashing on the spot.
"I told him that Spitfire was not suitable for a family horse."
"What did you tell him that for?"
"Because it was true."
"Supposing it was true, didn't you know that you were spoiling mytrade?"
"I am sorry for that, Mr. Holden, but if he had bought the horse,supposing it to be gentle, it might have broken his wife's neck."
"What business was that of yours? That was his lookout."
"I didn't look upon it in that way. I thought he ought to buy the horsewith his eyes open."
"You did, did you?" roared Abner. "Then I advise you to open your owneyes, for you're going to get one of the worst lickings you ever had."
Abner Holden's anger now reached an ungovernable pitch. Looking abouthim for a weapon, he espied the broom resting against the wall. Heseized it, and with a scream of rage, made for Herbert, shaking off thegrasp of the housekeeper, who tried to stay him.
Herbert, perceiving the peril in which he stood, ran round the table,which stood, with leaves open, in the middle of the floor. Abner pursuedhim with headlong haste.
"Lord preserve us! The man is mad!" ejaculated the housekeeper, tryingto get out of the way. But in this she was not successful. The kitchenwas small, and before she could guard against a collision, Abner hadstumbled over Mrs. Bickford, and both came down together. She uttered asuccession of piercing shrieks, and, with a view of relieving Herbert,pretended that her life was in danger, grasping Abner by the hair andholding him fast.
Herbert saw that this was the favorable moment for escape, and, seizinghis hat, dashed out of the house. He ran across the fields as fast ashis limbs could carry him, expecting that he would be pursued. Before wefollow him, we will describe the scene that took place after his flight.
"Let go my hair, Mrs. Bickford!" exclaimed Abner, tugging vainly tobreak from the housekeeper's grasp.
"I dare not," she said. "I'm afraid you'll murder me."
"You are making a fool of yourself," retorted Abner. "What should Imurder you for? But I will, if you don't let go!"
"Hello, who's talking of murder?" demanded a rough voice.
The speaker was a neighbor, who chanced to be passing, and was led toenter by the uproar, which was plainly audible outside.
"Save me!" exclaimed Mrs. Bickford. "He's threatened to murder me."
"Stop your nonsense, you old fool!" retorted Abner, vexed at theequivocal position in which he was placed.
"What's all this row about? Mr. Holden, you ought to be ashamed ofyourself for attacking a defenseless woman."
"I didn't intend to," said Abner, sullenly. "She got in my way, and Istumbled over her; and then she seized me by the hair."
"What were you going to do with that broom?" demanded the other,suspiciously.
"What was I going to do? I was going to thrash that rascally boy ofmine, and Mrs. Bickford knew it perfectly well."
"What has he done?"
"He? He's spoiled a trade of mine by his lying, and I was going to floghim for it, when Mrs. Bickford got in my way."
"Well," said the visitor, shrugging his shoulders, "I don't want tointerfere in your affairs. I suppose that you've a right to flog theboy, but it strikes me that a broom handle is rather an ugly weapon."
"It isn't half heavy enough," said Abner, savagely; "but where is theboy? Did you see him?"
"Given leg-bail, I reckon, and I don't wonder at it."
"Run away?" ejaculated Abner, disappointed. "Did you see where he went?"
"No, I didn't, and if I had, I'm not sure that I would tell you."
Abner would like to have thrashed the man who showed so little sympathywith his anger, but he felt that it would hardly be prudent. He wentto the door and looked out. But there was no trace of Herbert to bediscovered.
"He'll get it when he does come back," he said to himself.
The idea that Herbert might not come back at all never once occurredto him. He resolved that the flogging should lose nothing by beingdeferred.
We must now return to Herbert, whom we left running across the fields.
His departure had been so sudden, that his prominent idea was to getout of the way of his employer's violence. He was at first under theimpression that he was pursued, but when, after running perhaps aquarter of a mile, he ventured to look around, he saw, to his greatrelief, that there was no one on his track. Being out of breath, hestopped, and, throwing himself down on the grass in the shadow of astone wall, began to consider his plans for the future.
Everything was in doubt except one point. He felt that he had broken,finally, the tie that bound him to Mr. Holden. He would not return tohim. He had experienced enough of Abner's ugly and unreasonabletemper to feel that there could be no harmony between them, and asto submitting to personal violence from such a man as that, his bloodboiled at the thought. He knew that he should resist with all thestrength he possessed, and what the result might be he did not dare tothink. What lay before him in the future he could not conjecture, butwhatever it might be, he felt that it was better than to remain aninmate of Abner Holden's household, and in his power.
But where should he go? That was a question not easily answered. Afterhis experience of his uncle's indifference to him, he did not wish toappeal to him for aid, yet he felt that he should like to go to New Yorkand try his fortune there. Thousands of people lived there, and earnedenough to support them comfortably. Why not he? It was a thousand milesoff, and he might be some time in getting there. He might have to stopand work on the way. But, sooner or later, he resolved that he wouldfind his way to the great metropolis.
But there was one difficulty which presented itself at the outset. Thisdifficulty related to his clothing. He had on a pair of overalls and aragged vest which Abner had provided for him, intending that he shouldsave the good suit he brought with him for Sundays. His present suit,which had been worn by half a dozen of his predecessors, He
rbertdecidedly objected to wearing, as, in addition to being faded and worn,it was by no means a good fit. He must get his other suit.
But this was in Mr. Holden's attic, and it would hardly be prudent toventure back for it, as Abner was on the lookout for him, and therewould be a collision, and perhaps he might be forcibly detained.Fortunately, his money he had about him. This amounted, as the readeralready knows, to nearly fifteen dollars, and would, no doubt, be ofessential service to him in the project which he had undertaken. As tothe clothes, he must think of a way of securing them, before setting outon his journey to New York.